No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch springform pan
• •Food processor or rolling pin and zip-lock bag
• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Large rubber spatula
• •Offset spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Set a 9-inch springform pan on your counter. If you've ever had a crust stick, you know the heartbreak. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and lightly grease the sides with butter or cooking spray. This insurance costs nothing and saves everything.

   No springform? A deep 9-inch pie dish works. You'll serve it directly from the dish rather than unmolding.
2. 2

   Crush cookies for crust

   Separate 24 Oreos for the crust, reserving the remaining 12 for the filling. Place the 24 crust cookies in a heavy zip-lock bag and crush with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs with no large pieces remaining. Alternatively, pulse in a food processor until uniformly ground. You want powder, not rubble. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl.

   Leave the filling in the cookies. That cream center adds sweetness and helps bind the crust.
3. 3

   Build the crust

   Pour melted butter over cookie crumbs and stir until every particle is evenly coated. The mixture should hold together when squeezed but not be greasy or wet. Transfer to your prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer across the bottom, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to compact it. The crust should be about a quarter inch thick. Refrigerate while you make the filling.

4. 4

   Prepare filling cookies

   Take the reserved 12 Oreos and chop them roughly with a knife into irregular pieces. Some should be quarters, others rough chunks. These visible cookie pieces throughout your filling create textural interest and prove to everyone this is the real thing, not some flavored imitation.

5. 5

   Whip the cream

   Pour cold heavy cream into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment or hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until the cream holds stiff peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes. When you lift the whisk, the peaks should stand upright without drooping. Transfer whipped cream to another bowl and set aside. No need to wash the mixing bowl.

   Cold cream whips faster and holds better. Chill your bowl and beaters in the freezer for ten minutes if your kitchen runs warm.
6. 6

   Beat the cream cheese

   In the same bowl, beat room-temperature cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides twice. Any lumps now become lumps forever. Add sifted powdered sugar and salt, beating on low until incorporated, then increase speed and beat until light and airy, another minute or so. Add vanilla and mix until combined.

7. 7

   Fold in whipped cream

   Add about one quarter of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and stir vigorously to lighten it. This sacrifice makes folding easier. Add the remaining whipped cream in two additions, using a large rubber spatula to fold gently. Cut down through the center, sweep along the bottom, fold over the top. Rotate the bowl and repeat until no white streaks remain. You're preserving air, so work with patience.

8. 8

   Add cookie pieces

   Scatter the chopped Oreo pieces over the filling and fold them through with three or four broad strokes. You want even distribution without deflating your careful work. The filling should look like a cookies-and-cream ice cream, white with dark fragments throughout.

9. 9

   Fill and smooth

   Remove crust from refrigerator and pour filling over it. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the filling evenly, creating gentle swirls on top if you like. The surface should mound slightly in the center. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to release any large air bubbles.

10. 10

    Chill until set

    Cover loosely with plastic wrap, taking care not to touch the surface. Refrigerate for at least six hours, or ideally overnight. The cheesecake needs this time to firm properly. It should hold a clean slice. If you cut too early, you'll have delicious soup.

    Overnight is better than six hours. The flavors marry and the texture firms to perfection.
11. 11

    Unmold and garnish

    Run a thin knife dipped in hot water around the edge of the pan. Release the springform ring and carefully lift it away. Slide the cheesecake onto a serving plate, leaving the parchment beneath for stability. Crush two or three additional Oreos coarsely and scatter across the top, or arrange halved cookies around the edge. Slice with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.

Chef Tips

• •Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable. Cold cream cheese creates lumps no amount of beating will smooth. Set it out two hours before you begin, or submerge unopened packages in warm water for twenty minutes.
• •Generic sandwich cookies work but taste generic. The original Oreo has a particular bitter-sweet chocolate flavor that defines this dessert. Double Stuf varieties contain too much filling and throw off the balance.
• •For cleaner slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry before each cut. The warmth glides through cold cream cheese like a dream.
• •This cheesecake freezes beautifully. Wrap tightly and freeze up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •The cheesecake must chill at least 6 hours and improves after 24 hours. Make it the day before serving for best results.
• •Keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days, covered. The crust softens slightly after day three but remains delicious.
• •Freeze whole or in slices for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 155g)